Last weekend I was in the kitchen working on developing a tasty, 100 calorie healthy snack muffin. It was not as easy as it sounds. It really bought to my attention the rapid increase in portion size of food over the past 10-15 years. The muffins I made would have been considered normal sized 10 years ago but now they looked like a mini muffin compared to the muffin options available in cafes today.

The equivalent plain banana at muffin break is twice the size (168g) and contains 554 calories per muffin. That is nearly 50% of your daily calorie intake if you are on a 1200cal weight loss meal plan.

The latest data from the 2011-2012 Australian Health Survey show that we are drinking less alcohol and smoking less but are eating more and getting fatter. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of the population are now classified as overweight or obese. 70% of Australian Men and 56% women in Australia are now classified as overweight or obese.

One of the reasons for this is that we are eating more calories each day without being aware of it. As the portion sizes of snack foods have increased so have the amount of calories we are consuming per day. Consuming just 100cal more per day than you need can result in a 4.5kg weight gain over a year.

As a nation of coffee drinkers our intake of café bought coffee has also contributed to our growing waistlines. 10 years ago a takeaway coffee came in a 200ml cup and averaged 100cal. Now you can buy a 600ml Masai Café Late containing 235cal or Cafe Mocha for a whopping 466cal. That’s more calories than an average meal.

There has been a growing trend by the larger takeaway food outlets to display the kj/calories of their foods either on their website or at the counter. Take the time to see how much energy is in your favourite snacks.

If you are watching your weight — approx 100 calories is ideal for a snack at morning and afternoon tea.

P.S: I will keep you updated on the muffin!